ALEXANDER POUSHKIN.

Otago Witness, Issue 2371, 10 August 1899, Page 55

ALEXANDER POUSHKIN.

CENTENARY OF THE BIRTH OF RUSSIA'S GREATEST POET. A hundred years ago Russia gave birth to one who was destined to become the brightest star in her sparsely-studded galaxy of ; poetic genius. Poushkin shares with Michiewicz the honour of being the two representative poets of the Slavonic race, and the only poets of their country who have attained world-wide celebrity. In the productions of this strange genius, Russian poetry first became an independent power. His writings were at once the type and expression of his country's nationality, and they have become part of the household language of his native land. He is undeniably the national poet of Russia. Poushkin's birth and parentage are more than usually interesting and significant. The founder of the family was a German warrior, who migrated into Russia and obtained great renown in the art of war. One of the more celebrated of the poet's ancestors was Gabriel Poushkin, who espoused th>3 cause of Demetrius the Pretender, that unfortunate impostor who so nearly became Emperor of all the Russias. This ancestor plays an important part in the poet's historical tragedy "Boris Godunoff." But on his mother's side Poushkin's descent, is still more peculiar. His mother was the granddaughter ol an African, who was brought, to Russia by Petei the Great, who gave him the name of Hannibal, and placed him in thi navy, where he rose to the rank of admiral. Thus the poet blended in himself the cold temperament of the Teuton, with the fiery untamed spirit of the children of J the desert. To this ancestoi he dedicated more than one of his smaller works, and he i makes frequent and proud allusion to his j African descent. I YOUTHFUL EDUCATION. | His education was erratic. He had a plethora of tutors and governesses. One of these was a young Scotchwoman, a Miss j Baillie, who instilled into him a profound ! knowledge of English, and in this connection it may be interesting to note that the last letter he ever wrote was to a friend, calling hei attention to the works of Barry Cornwall. Another woman who exercised a great influence on his future career was his nurse — Irene Radionova — a woman given to drink and to superstition. She was full of the legends and folk-lore of her native land, and these she never tired of reciting to her young charge, who afterwards made them the groundwork of his poems. But, the time came when he had to go to school, and by the interest of Tourgenieff, he obtained admission into that famous Russian seminary — the Imperial Lyceum at Tsarkoe Se!o. Like so many men of his kind, Poushkin proved bufc a poor scholar. He read widely, and had even at this early age habits of vigorous industry and powers of sustained contemplation. He was extremely popular with his class fellows, even though he answered somewhat to this description of a contemporary :— " Petite in figure, his head was large, and covered almost to the eyebrows with a mass of closely curling hair; nose curved backwards, suddenly and heavily flattened at the end; his lips were thick and projecting, and his full dark eyes literally blazed with lurid fire. His speech was thick and fiery, and, in fact, his entire aspect and demeanour plainly revealed not only his origin, but the irascible, gloomy and imperious character of his mind." POETICAL BEGINNINGS. His poetic existence had already begun, and in addition to many smell snatches of verse he had conceived some of his future masterpieces. It ia probable that he even

composed the opening part of his ch.irming poem, "Ruslan and Luidmila." One production, written at the Lyceum for the annual school exhibition, and entitled " Infidelity," earned him the title of " Poet " with which he was publicly saluted on the occasion, in the presence of the Emperor by the aged Derjavin — the greatest Russian poet then living. On leaving school, he entered as a clerk into the Foreign Office, and young, noble and cultivated, he plunged with ardour into the pleasures and amusements of the capital. " Passion," he said, " was his only law in the tumult of the world." He was not the less industrious, however, during this period of revelry in amassing a store of knowledge derived from observation and study of human nature. He was meanwhile working on " Ruslan and Luidmila," and when it appeared it gave the deathblow to the classicism which had hitherto pervaded Russian poetry. It was the first poetry read by the rude and uncultivated peasantry of Russia. Poushkin at this time was caught in the whirlwind of revolution which was sweeping over Europe, and he frequently gave expression to his feelings by sparkling epigrams, which raised against him powerful enemies. His passionate "Ode to Liberty," in which he anathematised "the sworn assassins of freedom"; his witty " Christmas Tale," where the CZAR IS REPRESENTED as blessing his people, and bidding them " rejoice because I have eaten, drunk, and dined right well, and am fat, healthy and full " were seen by the Emperor and even this gentle, Quaker Alexander deemed it prudent to exile their author for a period of five years to the solitude of Bessarabia. During his exile he wrote little, but traversed the whole south of Russia, storing in his mind effects of sceneiy and traits of character afterwards turned to account. After his return in 1824 he was presented to the Emperor pf Moscow, who received him with marked kindness. He now settled down to serious work, and "The Prisoner of the Caucasus," a romantic poem breathing of the mountain air was the result. His powers were now in their full plenitude, and his next poem, " The Fountain of Bakhtchisarai," in which is seen the influence of Ityron, reflected all the wealth and gorgeous loveliness of the voluptuous clime of the lauric Chersonese. This exquisite poem had an immediate success, and was soon fallowed by "The Gipsies," in which he displayed his great powers of dramatic construction. It is a short and poignant tele — a horrible catastrophe of love, jealousy, and revenge. Poushkin was now at the SUMMIT OF HIS GL,ORY. He was worshipped in Russia, and renowned throughout Europe. He was ad* mired ; respected, and loved by his countrymen, and even the Czar stooped to do him honour. He was in the flower of health, life, and genius. By his works he had made himself immortal. He was married to a young, noble, and beautiful wife. He had but one desire in the world — " that nothing in his present life be changed." But the end was near. Slanderous tongues spoke of his wife's dishonour. Poushkin challenged the calumniator, and was fatally wounded in the duel. The story of Poushkin's clinging to life for three days, as told by Jukovsku, is a terrible picture of human agony. He died on January 29, 1837, in the 38th year of his age. He was buried beside his mother in the monastery of the Assumption at Sviatogorsk, where a plain marble cross surmounts his grave, with the simple inscription A.S.P.